The Blind Horse had a party Saturday, March 2 to launch their second batch of ice wine. This year's batch only yielded around 1,000 bottles. Thomas Nye, general manager and wine maker, expects that they will run out soon. Marina Affo/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

Cheri and Steve Ewig attended the launch of the second round of ice wine are part of the Blind Horse's wine club. The pair love the atmosphere of the Blind Horse and are huge fans of the ice wine offered. Marina Affo/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

Robyn Camplejohn and Allen Dickert had never tried ice wine before Saturday but loved it so much they bought a bottle. The pair also found a number of wines they weren't even aware of before they went to the Blind Horse. Marina Affo/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

Maria Myers and Heidi Soodsma enjoying wine during the second launch party for ice wine at the Blind Horse. Both ladies love the atmosphere of the Blind Horse, the live music and the friendliness of the staff. Marina Affo/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

Heather Cameron frequents the Blind Horse and loves the events the throw, including the grape stomping competition she won two years ago. Cameron tried both last year's and this year's batches of ice wine and loved them both. Marina Affo/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

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KOHLER - Cool new things are happening at the Blind Horse Restaurant and Winery in Kohler. Over the weekend, the Blind Horse launched its second batch of ice wine and showcased its new bar.

Always trying to be innovative, ice wine — with grapes grown right here in Sheboygan — is just one of a number of unique things happening at the Blind Horse.

A second batch of ice wine comes to the Blind Horse

Last year, the Blind Horse released its first batch of ice wine, a wine that is gaining popularity in Wisconsin due to the unique nature of its creation.

Ice wine is a dessert wine that can only be made in cold climates like Wisconsin. In order to make ice wine, the grapes need to be picked in the dead of winter when they are frozen. Frozen grapes create both a sweeter flavor and produces a slightly higher alcohol content.

"I think it's just a nice quick dessert. So instead of having your normal wine with dinner it’s a little treat afterwards," Heather Cameron, a frequent visitor of the Blind Horse, said.

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The Blind Horse had a party Saturday, March 2 to launch their second batch of ice wine. This year's batch only yielded around 1,000 bottles. Thomas Nye, general manager and wine maker, expects that they will run out soon.(Photo: Marina Affo/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin)

The grapes for this year's ice wine were picked last year. Next year's batch was picked this year during the polar vortex by 10 people over a span of seven to 10 days.

General manager and wine maker Thomas Nye said that's why ice wine is a little more expensive than other wines — the hours of labor are much greater and more taxing on those making the wine. On top of the picking, he said it takes about 350 hours of labor to create ice wine because of the delicate nature of the grapes.

Last year, the Blind Horse sold out of half of its ice wine inventory on the day it was released.

On Saturday, the Blind Horse had a launch party for its second batch and many turned out to taste ice wine for the first time.

Husband and wife pair, Cheri and Steve Ewig, have tried ice wine before and are part of the Blind Horse's wine club. The pair love ice wine because of its sweetness as well as the unique flavor.

"It does taste different," Cheri said.

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Scene from the ice wine launch party at the Blind Horse Restaurant and Winery on Saturday, March 2 in Kohler, WI.(Photo: Marina Affo/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin)

Robyn Camplejohn and Allen Dickert had never tried ice wine before but came because they heard about the intense process as well the fact that the grapes are local.

"We liked that they used the local grapes from Plymouth. That was neat, something from our area," Camplejohn said.

The Blind Horse uses St. Pepin grapes from Whitetail Vineyards in Plymouth to make its ice wine.

When the winery opened, Nye said, the staff of the Blind Horse wanted to see what they could make from local grapes, because many of their wines feature grapes from California. Ice wine, as well as their upcoming sparkling wine, were good options because they could be made with grapes from around the area.

Camplejohn and Dickert loved the ice wine made from Plymouth grapes so much they bought a bottle.

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The Granary opened in October at the Blind Horse Restaurant and Winery. The new bar specializes in cocktails with gourmet ice, whisky and bourbon.(Photo: Marina Affo/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin)

New restaurant opens on the grounds

Saturday was also a showcase of the Blind Horse's new bar, the Granary. The restaurant opened seven years ago, the winery five years ago and the new bar opened this past October.

The Granary is the Blind Horse's effort to provide a more casual space for anyone who wants to come to the property. Like the original restaurant, which is located in an old farm house, the bar is in a renovated building that was already on the property. The Blind Horse is committed to preserving the original farm's history. In fact, it's named after one of the farm's former lead horses which was blind.

Nye describes the new bar as a "whisky and bourbon experience" because of its focus on different bourbon and whisky cocktails.

On Saturday, the bar featured ice wine martinis for guests.

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Vodka ice wine martinis were featured on the menu at the Granary during the launch of ice wine, along with rum and bourbon ice wine martinis.(Photo: Marina Affo/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin)

"It works out well because it has a little wine flavor to it but the sugar is still present as well," Mason Rishel, beverage manager at the Blind Horse, said.

Rishel was responsible for coming up with the ice wine martinis on Saturday. He said he wanted to use the ice wine almost like sugar due to its sweeter taste when paired with vodka, bourbon or rum.

The bar operates Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Beside new cocktails it also has live music, Friday fish fries, couches for casual seating and unique drink features like gourmet ice.

"I want to open some new doors and get outside the box of comfortability and try some new cocktails that you might not see anywhere else," Rishel said.

More to come at the Blind Horse

Ice wine is not the only new wine for the Blind Horse. Later this year, the winery is releasing sparking wine.

Nye said he and his staff are currently in the process of making batches of the sparkling wine using an older, French Champagne process. He said the process, like ice wine, requires a lot of labor but they're excited to add yet another new specialty wine to the menu.

"Every year we're doing something different," he said.

Other upcoming events include the winery's fifth birthday party on April 20, its food truck festivals on May 18-19 and Aug. 17-18, its Run with Angels fundraiser and more.

For more information on events or for information on the Blind Horse's wine club go to theblindhorse.com.